Monthly Archives: December 2015

The holidays are just around the corner and it’s a time to be around loved ones and for some, a break from work or school.

Sometimes it’s nice to unwind, turn off the television or cell phone, cozy up with a warm blanket, and read a good book.

In case you are stumped on what to read during the holidays, my reading pick is The Education of Augie Merasty by Joseph Auguste Merasty and David Carpenter.

I chose this book to coincide with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) full report which was released earlier this week; a lot of discussions have been stirring about the residential school era.

I started reading the first two chapters and I was already captivated with the story that many are familiar with. So I will be taking time from my holiday to finish reading this residential school memoir. I have a profound respect for those including Augie Merasty who have the courage and strength to open up and share their stories about their experiences at residential schools.

To find out more about what this book is about, pick up a copy for yourself or for that book lover on your holiday shopping list!

From my family to yours, have a happy and safe holiday. Happy reading!

“I felt proud to be a part of the University of Regina Press team because we are doing our part by publishing books on Indigenous languages, which include the First Nations Language Readers Series.”

The last week in November, my coworker Nickita Longman and I had the opportunity to attend the First Nations Language Keepers (FNLK) conference held in Saskatoon. We were a part of the tradeshow selling the U of R Press books, promoting the First Nations Language Readers series, and also representing the University of Regina.

The first day, we arrived bright and early to set up our booth, but there was no sign of our packages. We waited almost two hours until the hotel staff recovered them. As we were setting up, people quickly gathered around our booth with money in their hands, waiting to buy books.

I was amazed by the high interest people showed in the books we publish. The Indigenous language books were a hot seller along with our three national bestsellers: Clearing the Plains, The Education of Augie Merasty, and Children of the Broken Treaty.

The FNLK conference was hosted by Saskatchewan Indian Cultural Centre (SICC) and I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with the SICC president, Dorothy Myo, who said that this year was their biggest turnout throughout the past ten years that they’ve hosted the event. Guest speakers and delegates travelled from as far as Yellowknife, Ontario, and North and South Dakota.

After the first day, I attended the round dance that was hosted by SICC and held at the White Buffalo youth lodge. The guest speakers talked about the importance of revitalizing Indigenous languages and how crucial it is to reach out to the young people about learning their languages by incorporating modern technology.

Although I attended the conference to sell books and represent the press and the university, I took away knowledge from the conference’s mandate on how everyone has a role to preserve Indigenous languages.

I felt proud to be a part of the U of R Press team because we are doing our part by publishing books on Indigenous languages, which include the First Nations Language Readers Series.